The Form of Worship is a Facade

Scripture: Micah 6:6-7

With what shall I come to the Lord
And bow myself before the God on high?
Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings,
With yearling calves?
Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams,
In ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts,
The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

Insights: The book of Micah is broken up into three messages.  The first message is a message of warning, the second a message of promise and the third is a message of challenge.  After the people of Judah received the first message they ought to have been repentant or at worse silent before the charges leveled against them, but that is not their response. The verses today show us they cried out just like the rich young ruler who came to Jesus.  He, and these Israelites, really did not see themselves as being condemned by God for their sins.  In the words of Warren Wiersbe, “Their request [which was a request to see how they could make themselves right before God] shows how shallow their spiritual life really was and that they were ignorant of the enormity of their sin and the high cost of forgiveness.”  The evidence of Wiersbe’s statements is found in the fact the people began bargaining with God.  At each step they keep raising the bid before God.  In other words, these people were really wanting to know what was wrong with God, not themselves.  So, they start this bidding war with God. It starts off with a few calves as burnt offerings.  Then a thousand sacrifices like Solomon gave.  Then a river of oil is suggested.  Finally it is the offer of their very own progeny.  Their flaw was that they actually thought they could bargain with God for their forgiveness.  God does not bargain with sinners.  Let me again quote Wiersbe, “‘Doing penance’ without truly repenting and trusting God’s mercy only multiplies the sin and deadens the conscience.”  In other words, after time we actually believe we are purchasing our forgiveness by all our good deeds.  The entire time God is just shaking His head saying, “You don’t get it, it is not about your work, but Mine.”  So many of us bring to God a form or worship, but with no real heart change.  If you only bringing the Lord surface level worship, then you are wearing nothing more than a facade and it is worthless.  Beloved, let the Lord change your heart and bring to Him true worship this week.

Questions:

1.  Are you just going through the motions when you worship the Lord?

     2.  Has your spiritual conscience been deadened because of failure to worship the Lord?

Prayer: Father, forgive me for the times in which I bring to You only a form of worship without any substance.  May my heart be changed and may I bring You genuine offers of the heart.  Amen.